Filter.



S. ROAKE.

Patented Dec.21,1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTQE.

JOHN S. ROAKE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FILTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. ROAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Filters, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to apparatus for filtering liquids, and moreespecially to means for agitating and cleansing the filtering materialwhen fouled from use.

The invention is designed for service in treating water in comparativelylarge volz umes as required in various manufacturing and otheroperations, and the object of the invention is to provide easilyoperated, ef ficient, and economical means for agitating the filteringmaterial, loosening by attrition the accumulation of undesirablematerial thereon and removing it while suspended in the cleansing water.The agitation is effected by the action of strong moving jets of waterdirected against the upper surface of the filtering material, the motionbeing induced preferably by a water motor within the filter-case.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement by which the above objects are attained, to

be hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show anapproved form of the invention.

Figure l is a vertical central section of a filter equipped inaccordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view withcertain portions broken away to show the parts beneath. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section partly in plan view, the plane 'of section beingindicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a vertical section,partly in elevation, showmg certain portions alone. Similar letters ofreference indlcate the same parts in all the figures.

of sand, gravel and other material adapted Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed February 17, 1909.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909. Serial No. 478,368.

for the purpose. All these parts of the ap paratus may be understood tobe of the usual or any approved types.

D is a cylindrical casting supported on the upper head A and surroundinga central opening in the latter, provided with a cover D having acylindrical depending flange D formlng achamber (Z from which extends anupwardly curved passage (Z terminating at the upper surface of the coverand receiving a pipe D controlled by a valve D through which water issupplied to the chamber (Z.

On the upper face of the cover is a casing D surmounted by astufiing-box D through which extends a vertical shaft F supported by acollar F forming with the top of the cover, within the casing D aball-bearing or other antifriction support for the shaft and theattachments suspended from its lower end. At the upper end of the shaftis a gear-wheel F in mesh with a pinion G on a vertical motor-shaft Gsuspended by a ballbearing G in a bracket D on the cover D Themotor-shaft extends downward through a stuffing-box G in the head A andcarries at the lower end a horizontal wheel Gr provided with peripheralbuckets G adapted to be rotated by a jet of water projected against thebuckets from a nozzle H on a pipe H extending through the head A andcontrolled by a valve H Secured to the flange D is a semisphericalcasing J having a central boss J serving as a guide for the main-shaft Fand joined to the casing by arms or webs J 2 permitting freecommunication with the chamber (Z above. Below the casing J is a hollowcasting or shell K secured to the main-shaft F to revolve therewith andflanged to match to a corresponding flange on the lower edge of thecasing J to make a close joint therewith but free to revolve relativelythereto. The shell K is closed at the bottom and has four or othernumber of radial bosses K in each of which is secured a hollow arm orpipe K equipped on the under side with a series of inclined jet-nozzlesK extending nearly to the upper surface of the filtering material C. Theshaft F extends through an interior boss or sleeve K and the bottom ofthe shell K, and the latter is held thereto by a nut and j am-nut F Fromone side of the casing D extends a pipe L having two branches L Lcontrolled by valves L L and serving respectively to supply water to befiltered and to carry away vitiated cleansing water in the cleaningoperation.

When the filter is performing its function the valves L D and H areclosed and water is admitted by the valve L through the pipe L into theannular space (Z in the casing D, percolates through the layers offiltering material, depositing therein any matter held in suspension,and is led away freed from impurities through the filter 11ozzles Bbranches B and pipe B to be used as required. The greater part of thematter eliminated by the filtering process collects at or near thesurface of the filtering material, gradually lessening quantitiesextending downward a short distance therein, and therefore by looseningthe sand or gravel at and near the surface in the process of cleansing,the larger part of the objectionable material may be freed and flushedout by a reversal. of the current through the filter.

The cleansing operation is performed preferably as follows :-The supplyof water is shut off by closing the valve L and the water line in thefilter permitted to fall some distance below the surface of thefiltering material as may be determined by observing the height of thewater column in the glass gage M, the escape is then cut off by closinga valve, not shown, in the pipe B; the valve D* in the pipe D is thenopened permitting water under pressure to flow to the chamber (Z,through the shell K and pipes 1 escaping in strong jets from the nozzlesK against the surface of the filtering material, the valve H in the pipeH is also opened and the strong stream thus directed against the bucketsG of the wheel Gr rotates the pinion Gr and gear-wheel F andcorrespondingly revolves the shell K and its jets, presenting the latterto the surface in circular paths. This action stirs up the sand to adepth depending on the force of the jets and their inclination, andloosens the collected matter, causes the particles of sand or gravelmingled with water to grind against each other and thus by attritioncleans the particles. The valve L is then opened, and a reverse currentadmitted through the 31136 B and filter-nozzles B preferably ofpreviously filtered. water, which carries over the loosened matter stillagitated by the revolving jets K and it is led away through the pipe LVhen thus washed sutficiently the supply to the jets K and to the motoris stopped and the upward current through the filter continued until byinspection or otherwise the escaping water is found to be clear; thesupply through the pipe B is then stopped, the valve L closed, and thecleansed filter conditioned to perform its filtering operation on wateradmitted through the valve L as before.

By inclining the jet-nozzles rearwardly to the direction of revolution,as shown, the reaction of the escaping water aids the rotation and suchconstruction is therefore considered preferable, but the angle ofinclination may be varied or the jets arranged vertically to increasethe depth of agitation.

The jets may be arranged at such radial points relatively to each otheras to avoid tracking and cause each to describe its own independentcircle.

Other forms of water-driven motors may be employed, or other meanssubstituted for producing the rotatory motion. The device shown ispreferred for the reasons that it is inclosed within the casing and theescaping water utilized in the washing process, and is simple inconstruction and operation.

I claim 1. In a filter, a closed tank, a filter bed therein, a cementbed beneath the filter bed, a system of pipes supported upon said cementbed. a discharge pipe communicating with said system of pipes, a rotaryshell above the filter bed provided with lateral pipes and dischargenozzles, means for admitting water to the tank outside the shell, meansfor admitting water under pressure to said shell, a rotary motor, meansfor projecting water against the buckets of said motor connectionsbetween the same and said shell whereby the latter is rotated, and asemi-spherical casing having a support for the shaft of said shell andwith which casing said shell forms a close joint yet allowing it torevolve.

2. In a filter, a closed tank, a cover therefor having a dependingflange, a semi-spherical casing supported from said flange, a shaftextending through said flange and casing, a shell mounted upon the shaftbelow the casing and forming a tight joint therewith, radial pipescarried by the shell and having jet nozzles, a gear wheel on the shaftoutside of the tank, a shaft parallel with the first-mentioned shaft, ajet motor on said shaft, and disposed within said tank, a pipe forprojecting water against the buckets of said motor, and a gear on saidshaft meshing with the shaft of the shell.-

3. In a filter, a closed tank, a cover therefor having a dependingflange, a semi-spherical casing supported from said flange, a shaftextending through said flange and casing, a shell mounted upon the shaftbelow the casing and forming a tight joint therewith, radial pipescarried by the shell and having jet nozzles, a gear wheel on the shaftoutside of the tank, a shaft parallel with the first-mentioned shaft, ajet motor on said shaft and disposed within said tank, a pipe forprojecting water against the buckets of said motor, a gear on said shaftmeshing with the shaft of the shell, means for admitting water underpressure to the tank outside of said shell and casing, and independentmeans for admitting water under pressure to the interior of the shell.

4:. In a filter, a closed tank, a vertical main-shaft therein extendingto the exterior of said tank, a shell attached to said mainshaft torotate therewith within said tank, radial pipes from said shell,jet-nozzles on said pipes, a gear-wheel on said main-shaft exterior tosaid tank, a bucket-wheel in said tank, a nozzle arranged to throw astream of water on said bucket-wheel to rotate it, a motor-shaft fromsaid bucket-wheel extending to the exterior of said tank, a pinion onsaid motorshaft in mesh with said gearwheel, and means for supplyingwater under pressure to said shell.

5. In a filter, a tank, a cover therefor, a fixed chamber on said coverwithin said tank, a main-shaft in said chamber extending to the exteriorof said tank, a revolving shell below said fixed chamber, an inletpassage leading from the exterior of said cover to said fixed chamber,radial pipes on said shell, jet-nozzles on said pipes, a gear-wheel onsaid main-shaft exterior to said cover, a bucket-wheel in said tank, anozzle arranged to throw a stream of water on said bucketwheel to rotateit, a motor-shaft from said bucket-wheel extending to the exterior ofsaid tank, a pinion on said motor-shaft in mesh with said gear-wheel,and means for supplying water under pressure to said passage and to saidnozzles.

6. In a filter, a closed tank, a cover therefor having a dependingflange forming a chamber with an upwardly curved passage, a valvecontrolled pipe connected with said passage, a semi-spherical casingdepending from said flange and having a central boss, a hollow shellforming with said casing a close joint, the shell being relativelyrotatable, and having lateral passages, radial pipes leading from saidpassages and having jet nozzles, a shaft extending through said shell,casing, and cover, and means outside of the tank for rotating saidshaft.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. ROAKE.

\Vitnesses CHARLES R. SEARLE, FLORENCE J. GREENE.

